If you wish to be happy for eight days, kill your pig and eat it. If you wish to be happy for a lifetime, learn to fish. (Chinese Proverb)

Laura, Judy and myself gave today's fishing 2 thumbs down. We found it difficult to sight fish with the windy chop. This also caused the water to become cloudy or stained, which did not help with visibility. We did see some fish and hooked up with one blue fish, but that was it. Did not see another angler hook-up all day. Talked with a few other angler's fishing the S.E. part of the cape that had about the same experience as us. I hope somebody found'm, cause I sure couldn't! Today's fishing was better than a sharp stick in the eye, but not by much! (he-he)

I would like to share with you some of my thoughts on sight fishing the many Cape Cod Flats.

We were all new once. (I donít know if I can remember back that far) So it is understandable when you walk out waist, chest deep onto a flat, on an incoming tide, light breeze, sun behind you and start to blind cast.

Several things happen when this style of fishing is implemented under these conditions:

First and most important is:

You are standing where the fish are living, eating and traveling. So you are really only hurting your own odds. Would you feel comfortable with a giant standing in your path? This same oddity happens on the Salmon River, N.Y. in certain areas. On this river it sometimes halts the run of King Salmon, Steelhead and forces them backwards. Again, not only hurting your chances of hooking into a fish of a lifetime but also others above you.

Secondly, Once these fish are spooked by the noise you generate by blind casting and moving about only decreases the odds of your fellow anglers hooking up. These fish will not eat consistently on any flat if spooked.

Standing waist deep or deeper on most flats will normally cut down on the size of your visual cone. This normally is a major disadvantage to yourself as the object is to see the fish as far away as possible, determine its project path and lead the fish with your fly. Thereby, achieving one of the most crucial keys to success on the flats, which is to allow your fly to sink to eye level of the fish. Anytime, any species of fish (that I know of), anywhere in the world that you can make it easier for a fish to feed you will increase you catch rate. Waist deep is normally to deep-you are standing where they travel.

The other by product of standing to deep is your visual cone is so small by the time you sight you quarry, its already seen you and spooked or you do not have enough time to get oníem.

One of the funnier things I see on the flats is when several anglers are waist deep or deeper, standing 20 feet apart, sight fishing or blind casting away for all they are worth. Knowing very well that all the fish are swimming behind them. I USED TO DO IT.
There have been times due to the angle of the sun where we have actually waded out 50 feet from the flats shoreline in knee-deep water and faced the beach. Casting into 1 foot of water as school after school passes us by. Its also interesting to watch the reaction of other anglers when they stop, look and scratch their heads. Trying to figure out why there is a guy standing on a ladder, who is excitedly pointing and speaking (politely) about fish at 11 oíclock, 30 feet, moving right! And then 2 anglers casting their fly into what looks like dry sand. He-he

I normally will stand no deeper than thigh deep. Iíve been guilty of setting up to deep, then realizing my mistake as I see fish swimming behind me or right at me. By standing thigh deep (on most flats) I guarantee that you will see them traveling 20-80 feet out. I will also guarantee that you will at times see them swimming behind you. Remember that if the sun allows you to look 360 degrees, then do it.

Randy..met your two charters at the light house yesterday...one commented on my hat pins... but, this weekend was really rough... coldest day was Saturday... The water was warmer on the ocean side of South beach from the SW wind but most people fished the tub side...did not see any hook ups and a lot of guys just walking around and chatting...I think most made it an early day.